Ahead of the Global Land Forum (GLF) in Colombia in June, we must place land rights at the centre of discussions on sustainability. Dennis Omukunde is the regional communication coordinator at the International Land Coalition (ILC) Africa and Hilaire Hatungimana is the project coordinator at the Confederation of Agricultural Producers’ Associations for Development (CAPAD). Across Africa and much of the Global South, land is more than just a physical asset; it is the foundation of security, dignity, and economic survival. Yet, the question of who owns land remains a major driver of conflict, poverty, and social exclusion, disproportionately affecting vulnerable groups such as women, Indigenous peoples, and youth. The challenges faced in Burundi, where land disputes and lack of formal ownership continue to hinder economic progress, are a microcosm of broader systemic issues across the continent and the world. As the world prepares for the Global Land Forum (GLF) in...

Cote d’Ivoire head coach Emerse Faé warned his squad to maintain their focus as they search for six points over the next five days in 2026 World Cup qualifiers against Burundi and Gambia. Faé’s charges go into Friday night’s match in Meknes against Burundi in second place in Group F with 10 points following Gabon’s 3-0 win against Seychelles on Thursday night in Franceville which took them two points clear of the African champions. Burundi and next Tuesday’s adversaries, Gambia, are respectively ranked 93 and 79 places below the Ivorians. Despite the disparity, Faé said his men should not take victory for granted. “We have to play seriously and come out with our heads held high,” added the former Ivorian international. “Our task is simple. We need to emerge from the next two games with the slight advantage we had before. We must not take the teams lightly.” Challenge During...

As part of a book project on the mechanisms of genocide ideology in eastern DR Congo’s North Kivu Province, Harvard scholar Bojana Coulibaly and her research partner travelled to the region to investigate “the infamous” October 2023 attack on a village called Nturo situated roughly 80 kilometers north west of the provincial capital, Goma. ALSO READ: DR Congo crisis: Banyamulenge villages in South Kivu attacked again In her brief report “300 Tutsi homes burned to the ground in Nturo by FDLR!” posted on X, on Wednesday, March 19, Coulibaly explained that after conducting interviews with the village’s residents, “we found that Nturo had about 300 homes owned by Congolese Tutsi.” The homes were attacked by FDLR – a DR Congo-based terrorist militia founded in mid-2000 by remnants of the masterminds of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda – on three consecutive days, starting on October 2, 2023. That...

World Food Programme urges action to avert ‘escalating hunger crisis’ When gunshots rang out near her home in the Congolese city of Uvira last month, Mapendo knew it was time to leave. Gathering her children and other family members, she crossed the fast-flowing Rusizi river into neighbouring Burundi, joining desperate throngs fleeing the violence gripping swathes of eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. Today, Mapendo and her family are sleeping under open skies near a sports stadium-turned-makeshift refugee shelter in the northwestern Burundian town of Rugombo, “The outfit I am wearing is all I have,” says Mapendo, clad in a black shirt and brightly patterned skirt. “This is also the case of my children.” As a refugee, her last name is not being used for her protection. Months of fighting in eastern DRC have uprooted hundreds of thousands of people – in a country where millions have already been displaced...

Kigali, Rwanda — “Being the first plastic and reconstructive surgeon in my country is a great honour,” Dr. Baramburiye said. “But it’s also a huge load on my shoulders, a lot of pressure.” Born and raised in Burundi, Dr. Clovis Paulin Baramburiye’s path to plastic surgery was anything but straightforward. After completing his medical degree at Tianjin Medical University in China, he returned home to work as a teaching assistant lecturer in human anatomy at the University of Burundi. It was during this time that he began his surgical training through the College of Surgeons of East Central and Southern Africa (COSECSA), a regional body that provides affordable surgical education across Africa. “I always wanted to do plastic surgery, but there wasn’t any programme available in Burundi,” he said. “Training abroad was too expensive, so I started training in general surgery instead.” Then came a breakthrough. He was offered a scholarship to...

The aid response in Burundi to the crisis in neighbouring Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) “is literally buckling”, the UN refugee agency, UNHCR, warned on Friday, as it relayed dramatic testimonies from people forced to flee the unchecked advance of Rwanda-backed M23 rebels. “Over 63,000 people now have crossed into the country, Burundi, fleeing atrocities, deadly conflict in parts of eastern DR Congo,” said Faith Kasina, UNHCR Regional Spokesperson for East and Horn of Africa and Great Lakes. Amid the largest influx of refugees Burundi has seen in decades because of the hostilities in eastern DRC’s mineral-rich region, the UNHCR official issued an urgent appeal for immediate and sustained humanitarian funding to meet growing needs among the new arrivals. “This country, despite its best efforts, was not prepared for this emergency,” Ms. Kasina noted. The alert comes just days since UNCHR warned that sexual violence and human rights abuses...

Burundi is facing its largest refugee crisis in decades as tens of thousands flee escalating violence in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). The resurgence of the M23 rebel group has forced civilians to seek safety across borders, with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) warning that emergency aid is urgently needed to support the growing humanitarian crisis. The latest fighting in eastern DRC has seen M23 rebels capture major towns, including Goma, Nyabibwe, Kalehe Centre, and Bukavu. The offensive, which began in early 2025, has displaced hundreds of thousands of people, with many fleeing to neighboring Burundi and Uganda. Reports indicate that Bukavu, a key city in South Kivu, fell under rebel control in February, prompting panic and further displacement. Burundi has received over 63,000 Congolese refugees in recent weeks, making it the country’s largest influx in decades. Many of these refugees are living in makeshift...

Burundi handed a first call up to Norwegian-based striker Bertran Nishimwe Mvuka as coach Patrick Sangwa welcomed back several experienced internationals for the FIFA World Cup assignments over the next week. Burundi host African champions Cote d’Ivoire in Meknes, Morocco on Friday and then take on Seychelles at the same venue four days later. Burundi have seven points from four games in Group F and sit only three behind the Ivorians, who lead the standings. There is a first call up in five years for midfielder Patrick Bizoza, who is based in Norway and yet to win a cap, while back in the squad are left back Claus Niyukuri, midfielders Abedi Bigirimana and Henry Msanga and the striking duo Mohamed Amissi and striker Sudi Abdallah, who is back from injury. Also returning to the squad is 20-year-old Matteo Nkurunziza for fellow Belgian-based goalkeeper Aladin Bizimana and the Belgian-born defender Marco...

Mpanda — Led by the Ministry of Health and with the support of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance (Gavi), UNICEF, the World Health Organization (WHO), and Dalberg, Burundi has today introduced the lifesaving malaria vaccine into its routine immunization programme – a critical step towards reducing malaria cases and saving thousands of children’s lives. The launch event was held in Mpanda District, and attended by Burundi’s First Lady, Her Excellency Angeline Ndayishimiye. Today’s event follows the arrival of 544,000 doses of malaria vaccines in Burundi in January of this year, and the approval of the RTS,S malaria vaccine by ABREMA (Autorité Burundaise de Régulation des Médicaments à usage humain et des Aliments).Malaria remains a major public health concern in Burundi and one of the country’s top health priorities. Malaria is endemic, with two annual peaks (April-May and June) resulting in high transmission levels in some districts. The latest data from the...